The Sinister Screen Queen

Tanya reclined on her bed, lazily flipping through a magazine she'd found tucked away in her closet.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, drawing her attention. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was almost time.

It had been four days since she'd landed in this timeline, and she was already growing restless.

Tuesday had marked her first day back at school a prison in her opinion.

The days that followed were a blur of dull lessons, uninteresting teachers, and the constant chatter of her self-proclaimed "friend" Emilia.

That girl was a walking contradiction goofy yet determined, annoying yet strangely endearing.

You love her Casey teased in her mind.

Tanya scoffed. "Love is a bit too strong, I prefer tolerate."

Is that so? Casey said, amusement lacing her tone. You might want to change your attitude

Tanya put the magazine down. "What are you implying?"

Oh, nothing Casey said airily.

Just that she might be very important for your future plans

Tanya groaned. "Let me guess. She's the secret heir to a fortune? Or maybe she'll invent the next big thing?"

Tanya can't even imagine that platypus doing any of that.

Casey chuckled. Much bigger than that. Think… stars in her eyes and dragons at her feet

Tanya blinked, sitting up. "Stars and dragons? What does that even mean? Is she into astrology? Or some weird lizard cult?"

Not quite Casey was clearly enjoying herself. But you're warmer

"Ugh." Tanya ran a hand through her hair. "Just tell me. I'm not in the mood for riddles."

But riddles are so fun Casey drawled.

Fine, I'll give you another hint. She has a very, very famous future ahead of her

Tanya's eyes narrowed. "Famous, huh? Is she going to be a pop star?"

Seriously, do I have to spell it out for you Casey voiced annoyed by her host's retardedness.

Picture her commanding armies, flying through the sky, adored by millions

Tanya froze, the pieces clicking into place. "Wait. Is she…"

Casey said nothing, letting the silence confirm everything.

"Emilia Clarke." Tanya whispered, finally noticing the resemblances of Emilia future self.

"She's Emilia Clarke. The…Queen."

Well, she's not Khaleesi yet Casey said with a laugh.

Tanya flopped back onto her bed, groaning. "And I've been ignoring her all week?"

I believe your past self ignored her for years Casey said smugly.

What are you going to do now?

Tanya sighed, not wanting to answer. "Tolerate her slightly more enthusiastically."

As for the other women in her life.

Keira had been her usual glamorous self but was too busy with her career to bother with Tanya. The rest of the family was similarly occupied, leaving her with limited chances to rack up EP.

Over the past two days, she'd managed 2000 EP on Wednesday and 1500 EP on Thursday decent but nowhere near her stellar first day.

Today had been another mediocre showing at 1700 EP.

Casey's voice chimed in. What about Emilia? She's been adding the most to your total

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Emilia's exhausting. She never stops. If I hear her ask one more time what my favorite color is, I swear—"

You love her Casey teased again.

"Never!" Tanya denied.

Casey laughed softly. Admit it, you'd miss her goofy questions if she stopped

Tanya shook her head, muttering under her breath. "I'd miss the quiet more."

Tanya sighed, checking her system balance.

Emotion Points: 11,613

It still was a long way off for a silver lottery, she could roll for bronze, but she didn't want any more tomato seeds.

Complaining again Casey's voice chimed in. You've still got an active mission, remember?

Tanya groaned. "That mission's practically impossible with Emilia breathing down my neck."

"She'd probably call the cops if I so much as sneezed near that drug dealer's territory."

She's determined to keep you safe Casey admitted with a chuckle.

Tanya snorted, recalling Emilia's tenacity. "You don't know the half of it. She wrestled me over a peanut milk chocolate bar the other day and won!"

To be fair, you didn't use your new moves Casey reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah, and send her to the hospital." Her gaze landed on the broken remnants of her desk in the corner of her room.

She couldn't help but smirk, remembering the incident. After unlocking her new Low Master Combative Skills, curiosity had driven her to try a few moves.

So, She accidentally shattered her desk, not like she needed it for anything other than homework.

Tanya pulled up her profile to check the skill again.

Name: Tanya Pendragon

Title: Annoying Stepsister

Age: 15

Skills: Dishwasher Amateur, Advertiser Professional Mid, Combative Master Low

Emotion Points: 11,613

Store

Inventory

Casey had explained it was modelled after Cassandra Cain's life a fact that had floored Tanya.

"Batman's daughter."

Tanya had gasped in disbelief when Casey first told her. "No wonder she's such a badass. Her memories sounded brutal."

"Glad I didn't have to relive that nightmare."

Despite her initial shock, Tanya was thrilled with the skill. She couldn't wait to put it to real use.

Her phone buzzed again, snapping her out of her thoughts. The message on the screen simple.

'I'm downstairs.'

Tanya sat up and tossed the magazine aside.

"Time for adventure." Tanya grabbed her jacket and headed for the door.

Try not to wreck anything, or anyone this time

"No promises."

Tanya tiptoed through the house, her sneakers muffling her steps on the floors.

The dim light from her cell phone was her only guide as she made her way to the front door.

Pulling a small key from her pocket, a key she'd paid a discreet locksmith to make when no one was home, she easily unlocked the door.

Once outside, the cool night air chilled her.

She casually strolled across the yard, then into the street.

Her eyes immediately caught sight of her ride.

Lamborghini Murciélago

It was stunning emerald green, and it stood out like a jewel amidst the sea of ordinary cars crawling by, their drivers doing double takes at the supercar.

Tanya smirked and approached, seeing all cars and pedestrians keep a respectful distance from the car. "Last thing people need is to scratch that and sell their souls to pay it off."

She pulled open the passenger door and slid inside, her eyes immediately drawn to the driver a girl her age with striking features.

Her raven-black hair was amazingly styled, and she wore a sleek designer outfit that screamed exclusivity.

The girl was Allegra Versace, heiress to the Versace empire.

At just 15 years old in 2002, Allegra was already well known in the fashion world by proximity, her family name synonymous with high fashion and luxury.

Her uncle Gianni Versace had built everything before his tragic assassination in 1997, and her mother, Donatella, now ran the brand.

Allegra herself owned a 50% stake in the company, a fortune that would grow into billions in net worth over the years.

"Ciao, bella!" Allegra greeted, her Italian accent rich and melodic. "You took so long!"

"Hey yourself." Tanya replied with a smile.

They exchanged a quick hug, giggling like old friends reuniting after years apart.

"Can't believe you're here," Tanya said, settling into the plush seat.

"Well, ovvio! I couldn't be in the country without seeing you." Allegra replied, adjusting her designer jacket. She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Gia is sulking, though. She's stuck at home. Her mamma is, how do you say?—driving her crazy."

"Why's Gia not talking to me?" Tanya asked curiously, finding it weird that the other girls hadn't messaged her.

Allegra laughed, leaning back in her seat. "Ah, she thinks you're ignoring her. You know how she is always so drammatica. Honestly, you both need to grow up. Don't end up like those older ragazze stupide in our group."

Tanya chuckled knowingly. Their group of friends was notorious for causing chaos, but the older girls often created unnecessary divisions. Allegra and Gia were solidly in Tanya's camp, and they avoided the "prickly" attitudes of the older faction as much as possible.

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "I'm ignoring her? She's the one who ghosted me first."

Allegra laughed. "You two are ridiculous."

"So, what's the plan?" Tanya asked, leaning back and crossing her arms.

Allegra's face lit up. "We're going to the fashion show!"

Tanya's smile faltered. "You know I hate those."

"Ma dai!" Allegra pouted, her accent thickening as she tried to persuade her friend. "I need the company, amica mia. And after this, you're free."

Tanya sighed, knowing she couldn't say no to that face. "Fine. One night."

Just as Allegra revved the engine, there was a sudden tap on Tanya's window.

She frowned and spotted Keira standing there with a curious expression.

Tanya rolled down the window halfway. "What do you want?"

"Where are you going?" Keira asked, her arms crossed. "And why are you sneaking out?"

Tanya gave her a bored look. "Obviously, I'm going out?"

Before Keira could respond, Allegra leaned over. "Who's this?"

"My stepsister." Tanya muttered.

Allegra leaned over and waved. "Oh! You must be Keira! Piacere, I'm Allegra."

Keira's gaze shifted to Allegra. "Nice to meet you."

Keira turned her attention back to Tanya. "You should come back inside. It's late."

"Nope," Tanya said, popping the "p" for emphasis. "I promised Allegra, so no ball."

Keira's stared at her before sighing. "Fine. Then I'm coming with you."

Tanya blinked, incredulous. "Why?"

"Because I'm not letting you run around unsupervised."

"It's a two-seater." Tanya pointed out, smirking. "Guess you'll have to stay home."

Before Tanya could react, the click of the lock disengaging made her freeze.

Keira opened the door, sliding into the cramped seat and pushing Tanya aside in the process.

"Traditrice!" Tanya exclaimed, glaring at Allegra.

Allegra grinned innocently. "Eh… it might be fun."

Before Tanya could argue further, Allegra slammed her foot on the accelerator.

The car roared to life, and they were flying down the street, hitting 60 miles per hour in 4 seconds.

Tanya yelped as she braced herself, while Keira clung to the door for dear life.

"Adesso!" Allegra said with a mischievous smile.

"The fun begins."